Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers

The exact reason for the Taiwan plane crash is still unknown, but most believe the answer lies with the engine. One survivor explained that "the engine did not feel right," and prior to the crash, the pilot told the control tower that the engine was experiening 'flameout.'

Sliding oil prices have meant mass layoffs in the Texas oilfields. It appears that in second-place North Dakota, however, the burgeoning shale oil and natural gas sector will be spared mass job cuts in the short term.

Port congestion is reaching new levels as container ships are being forced to wait to berth at anchor off the shore of Los Angeles-Long Beach. While many are assigning the blame to slow or even nonexistent negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Pacific Maritime Association, it is possible that the problems could have a different origin.

The Chattanooga Wrigley Manufacturing plant, the home of Altoids and Life Savers, has had a reputation for being dangerous; however it seems to have solidified it this past week when a 54-year old man died on the job, making it the second employee death at the plant within the last 16 months.

If it weren't for the recalls, 2014 would have been a stellar year for General Motors. Even with $2.8 billion in pretax costs to fix more than 30 million recalled vehicles and $400 million set aside for death and injury claims, GM still managed to turn a $2.8 billion profit.

A new report says every state saw job losses due to a growing U.S. trade deficit with Japan, and warns Congress should not approve a proposed trade agreement without protections against Japanese currency manipulation.

In 2008, General Motors conducted internal training for its engineers on how to document product risks, including bans of the words 'defect' and 'problem.' Well-intended or a shameful legal dodge, the training skirted around the problem instead of attacking it head-on.